Jack handle



June 16, 1931.

W. E. LARSON ET AL JACK HANDLE Filed Aug. 8, 1927 nTTORNEYS Patented June 16, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER E. LAnsoN AND JOHN H. Korma-3,01 rITTsBUneI-r, rENNsYLvANiA, AS-

. SIGNORS, BY MESNE AssIeNME Ts, To WALKER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or

RAOINE, wIscoNsIN, A CORPORATION or wIscoNsrN.

JACK HANDLE Application filed August' 8, 1927. Serial No.121 1,415.

This invention relates to operating handles and more particularly to handles for operating that type of jacks having a rotary actuating member. I j

Jack handles have been provided that collapse in the'middle so that they maybe more conveniently carried in an automobile and rality of relatively movable links and means for rendering the links in rigid fixed relation when they are in alined operative positions.

Another object of this inventionis to pro vide a folding jack handle comprising a plurality of collapsable links and a novel means for connecting the said links.

These and other'objects that may be made apparent throughout the further description of the invention are attained by means of the device hereinafter described and illustrated 'in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1' is an elevational view of a jack handle embodying the invention."

' Fig. 2 is an elevational View of a portion of Fig. 1 turned at 90.

Figs. 3 and 4 arefragmental viewsof one end of a link disposed at 90 onetothe other.

Figs. 5 and 6 are-fragmental views of the I other end of the llIlk or the cooperatlngend other end of a linkdisposed at 90 one to the other.-. I

Fig. 7 is a fragmental view partly in cross section showing the hand gripjofthe actuating portion of the handle and,

Fig. 8 is a fragmental view partly in cross section of the main portion of thej ack'handle showing a hand grip.

This inventlon comprises in general a collapsable jack handle having one of its ends adapted to engage a jack-and" an actuating member disposed on its other end for actuatprising a plurality of collapsable interchangeable links. and means for 'releasably and rigidly clamping the links in alined operative position.

The handle is provided at one of its ends with a portion '11 adapted to engage a jack an actuating meniber'12 disposed on the other.

end of the jack handle of the usual conventional type having in addition a novel grip handle 13 disposed on its free end and means 14 disposed on the other end for connecting the member 12 with'themain body portion 15 of the handle. The main body portion represented in its entirety by 15 will be hereinafter described.

The main body portion 15 consists of a plurality of interchangeable links 16 of any predetermined length and it is apparent that any number ofthese links may be used to obtain a-j ack handle of any desired length.

The means 1 1 for connecting the links are best understood by referring to Figs. 3, i, 5 and 6. Figs?) and l-illustrate the construction of one end of the link 16 showing a flange portion 17 having a diameter of substantially half the diameter of the body portion of the link'16, the flange portion 17 having an extended lug or ear at right angles to the axes 1 ing the handle and a main body portion comof the link. Theflange portion 17.is provided with an opening 18 anda projection 19 thepurpose of which will be described below in connection with the construction of the of an adjacent link. v. Figs'. 5 and 6 illustrate the ,other endof the link 16 having a flange portion 21 of substantially the same, shape projection 19-respectively of'a cooperating link 16. It willtherefore be understood that Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate one end of a link 16 and Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the other end.

In assembling the jack handle the cooperat ing ends of a pair of links are placed in engagement with each other, alining the openings 18 and 22 and the projection 19 and groove 23 respectively. The openings 18 and 22 are adapted to receive any suitable clamping means such as a bolt 24 having a clamp ing nut 25 for rigidly clamping the links together or releasing them to such extent as will permit the disengagement of the proj ection 19 from the groove 23 and permit the links to be rotated about the bolt 24 in a lateral direction towards one another.'

The links 16 are provided with beveled portions 26 adjacent each of the flange por tions 17 and 18 for permitting lateral movement of the cooperating links when the clamping bolt 241 is released and the projection 19 is disengaged from the groove 23.

It can be seen from Fig. 1 that the lugs or cars of flanges 17' and 21 terminate in a direction substantially at right angles with the axis of the link 16 and in opposite directions for permitting the collapsing of adjacent links 16 in opposite directions. 7

The end of the portion 11 adjacent the link 16-is provided with a flange constructed similarly to that provided for one end of a link 16 and one end of the actuating portion 12 is provided with a flange constructed substantially thesame as the other end of the link 16 thereby permitting the connection of the actuating portion 12 to the portion 11 or to any link extending from the portion 11.

The link 16 adapted to be positioned adjacent the actuating portion 12 is provided with a hand grip 27 of cylindrical shape inclosing a portion of the link 16. This link 16 is also provided withintegral collars 28 and 29 for maintaining the hand grip 27 in the desired position. The link 16 is adapted to rotate freely within the hand grip.

The free end of the actuating member 12 is provided with a hand grip 13 as above stated. The hand grip 13 having an inward ly curved portion 31 is adapted to cooperate with a groove 32 in the free end of the actuating member 12 for. maintaining the grip 13 in position. The free end of the member 12 is adapted torotate freely within the hand grip 13 so that the surface of the hand grip 27 and 13 willremain stationary with respect to the surface of the operators hand and permit the associating part of the handle to move free therein. r

It will be seen from the above description that we have provided a collapsable operating handle comprising a plurality of interchangeable links that will permit the handle to be folded up into a compact arrangement and means associated with the links for securing the links in rigid fixed relation when the links are in alined operative position.

While we have illustrated and described but one embodiment of this invention it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain changes, modifications, substitutions, additions and omissions may be made in the apparatus described without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

1"] e claim:

1.v A folding jack handle comprising a plurality of interchangeable links, each of said links being adapted to fold in opposite directions to its adjacent link and means for rigidly clamping the said links in .fixed relation when the said links are in alined position, the said means comprising a groove in one end of each link for receiving a pro j ectio-n on the cooperating end of another link and a clamping device extending through openings in the cooperating ends of the links.

2. A joint for fastening a plurality of metal links together, comprising a flanged portion on the end of the one link having an off-center cylindrical opening and a groove therein, a flanged portion on a second link having an off-center cylindrical opening and a projection thereon adapted to cooperate with the opening and groove on the first link, and means extending through the correspondingcylindrical openings When the links are in aligned position to rigidly hold the said links in fixed relation to each other.

. A joint for fastening a plurality of metal links together, comprising a flanged end portion on one link, said flanged end having an extended lug and being-provided with an off-center cylindrical opening and a projection, a cooperating flanged end portion on a second link, said flanged end having an extended lug and being provided with an oif-center cylindrical opening and a groove, the said off-center cylindrical opening and groove of the second link being adapted to cooperate and receive the cylindrical opening and projection of the first flanged portion and a clamping device for rigidly fastening the links in fixed relation when they are in aligned position extending through the corresponding openings.

4. A joint for fastening a plurality of metal links together, comprising a flanged portion on the end of one link having a laterally extending groove therein, a' flanged portion on a second link having a laterally extending projection thereon adaptedto c0- operate with the groove on the first mentioned link, and means extendingthrough openings in said flanged portions for securely holding said links in fixed relation to each other. v

5. A joint for rigidlyfastening a plurality of metal links together, comprising a flangedportion on the end of a link having a! laterally extending lug provided withv a groove at substantially right anglesto the longitudinal axis of said link, a flanged portion on the end of another link having a laterally extending lug provided with aprojection thereon at substantially right angles to the axis'of said link adapted to he re- I ceived in the groove in the lug on said first 

